Aircraft



Oct, 29, 1931.

F. D. WHLLIAMS 1,821,771

AIRCRAFT Original Filed Oct. 21, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet ,1

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AIRCRAFT Original Filed Oct. 21, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 fag/3:7 fig Oct. 26, 1931.- F. D. WILLIAMS AIRCRAFT Original Filed Oct. 21, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 M/JW wITNEss:

' Patented Oct. 20, 1931 .'''UNITED, STA ES PATENT OFFICE. 1

ram]: nonso rwrnnuxa, or 1.08 menus, cann'omrm' v AIRCRAFT Application filed October 21, 1927 Serial No. 827,727. Renewedlarch 14', 1881.

An object of this invention is to rovi'de an air ship that is more fully under t e control of the navigator than any other air craft heretofore made and to minimize danger .of 5 aerial navigation over both land and sea and in both fair and foul weather. Y

' This .invention relates to air crafthaving parallel ri id, elongated aerial floats and an oscillata le propeller adapted to operate for propulsion and to assist in ascent and descent. a y The invention is broadly'new, basic and pioneer in that the rigid elongated aerial v and 3, looking rearwardly.

floats are rigidly spaced apart by spaced 5 apart pairs of spaced apartaerial ,gliding planes or wings, each pair comprising an upper and a lower gliding plane'spaced apart vertically; the upper gliding planes being spaced apartand extendingover the tops of, l and over forward and rearward zones of the space between, the aerial floats; and the lower gliding planes being fixed to and spacing.

apart the hulls of the aerial floats at such v zones; oscillatable propellers adapted to direct air streams horizontally between the parallel floats and aslant between the upper and lower planes for propulsion at a horizontal adjustment, and upward or downward at other adjustments'respectively fore and aft and between the floats and between the pairs of planes, obliquely, for ascent and descent.

Other objects are, to minimize flight im-y of one of the elements-installed at top and 'peding air resistance; toinsure stability in the air and'also on 'water, and to facilitate guiding the craft and turning, it around while 7 in flight.

ness, and ease' of assembly and operation.

Another broadly new, basic and pioneer feature is the provision of rudders both fore and aft of the craft and means for simultan'eously operating all the rudders so as togive the navigator greater'control of the craft and enable him to turn the craft in minimum space and to counteract drifting action ofside winds while the craft is being advanced by the propelling means.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from theaccompany- Another object is simplicity, and cheap ing drawings, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings diagrammatically illustrate the invention.-

- Figure 1 is a fragmental diagrammatic to view of an air cruiser constructed in accor anoe with this invention in one of-its forms. Fig. 2 is, a longitudinal section on the.verti-.

cal planes indicated by irregular line :2,-

ig. 3 is an axial section on the vertical plane indicated by line m3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross section'on line 24, Figs. 2

Fig. 5 is a cross section on line 0:5, Figs. 2 and 3, looking rearwardly..

Fig. 6 is'a iagrammatic front view of the air cruiser shown in Fi 1'; broken lines indicate some ofthe interior parts."

Fig. 7 is a topview on a larger scale than Fig. 6, of the combined propeller and elevator attached to the air floats, fragments of which are shown,

Fig. 8 is a front elevation on the scale of Fig. 7 of the combined propeller and elevator and its adjuncts in place in the craft appearing in Fig. 2,.fragments of which craft are shown. 7

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of what is shown in- Fig.-'8 as viewed from section line :09, Fig.8." p

Fig, 10 is a 'diagrammaticrepresentation of Figs.

' Fig. '14 is a side view from line v14, Fig. 13. I Fig. is a side elevation of a reversible motor andpropeller.

Fig. 16 is a diagrammatic top view of another form of air craft constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.

Fig. 17 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the air craft shown in Fi 15.

F.1g.'18 is a diagrammatic front view on reduced scale, of the air craft shown in Figs.

16 and 17. v

In Figs. 1 to 6 the aerial floats 1, 1a,. are constructed with elongate shells 2 having compartments as at 3, 4, -5 and 6 separated from each other by bulkheads7 and each compartment is shown as filled by duplex gas containers 8 and 9, the outer container 8 enveloping the inner container 9 and provided with a valved inlet 10 for'the purpose of filling said outer container 8 with helium gas; the inner container being provided with a valved inlet 11 for filling said inner container with hydrogen gas, so that the hydrogen gas contamer is practicall enveloped by the helium gas, thus practical y insuring the hydrogen gas against ignition. Any desired number'of compartments may be employed, the same being separated from each other by l the bulkheads 7, and the gas containers may be bags of silk or other material or approved appliance of other forms and matena I I The shells 2 are preferably of aluminum I or other suitable metallic construction, but

any suitable materialmay be employed,

The rudder may be operable by any suitable means as by the ca he at 12. v

The shells 2 are connected by rigid upper aerial planes or glidin wings '13, 14 and lower aerial lanes or g 'dinggwin .15, 16, that are rigi y fixed to the shells fore and aft, above and below the horizontal mid plane H of thecraft.

Between the wings there are mounted suitable braces as at 17 which are also fixed to the shells to hold the same from rolling relativev .to each other.

Said shells are constructed with a blunti convex nose 18 extending from theforwar tip 19 to the zone" 20 of maximum cross sec:

- tion with the greater length 21 tapering rearwardly from such zone and termmating. in a blunt,-c onvex tail '22.

23 indicates the motor shell, 23' the su porting ring therefor, .24, the motor, 24m emotor shaft, and 25' the propeller on such shaft; all of which are mounted-in an oscilla 'tory motor suspension or frame 26 comprising a short tube 27 having hollow trunnioiis 28 journalled by bearings-29' and. 30; said bearings 29 being respectivelyfixed at one end and being in journalled relation tothe oscillatory frame or motor suspension 26,

which also comprises blade like .kes 26a connecting the motor shell ring 3 to the' tube '27 on which is mounted by suitable means, as struts'27, an elevator. plane 27a.

that is in fixed relation to the oscillatory frame and that serves as an elevator to raise or lower the craft at such angle to the horizon, as may be determined by adjustment of the oscillatory 'framewith its propeller.

."Any suitable means, as the wheel 31, gearing 32, shaft 33 turned tlrereb worm gear 34, and segment 35 fixed to t e oscillatory rtbeframe may be employed to givedirection t0 the engine and its shaft and the air stream from the propeller; and the direction may be changed through any desired angle to the horizon within 45 degrees, more or less up or down, in the of the engine.

The tube 27 may be of any suitable length according to the judgment of the constructor plane of the axis of oscillation and is shown in Figs. 2 and 6, as mounted with the oscillate elevator lane 270 between the upper an lower gli er wings both fore and aft.

The oscillative controllin means may be of any suitable and approv ty and may be operated b the navigator m within .the control ca in'36 in the forward part of one of the lighter-than-air floats or. fromany other suitablylocated station.

37 indicates-an observation port or outlook, which is shown, asprojecting from a wall of one of the lighter-thanv-air' floats and said outlook is provided with transparent anes 3.8, 39, 40 and 41 arranged in angular re a'lion to each other; the top and bottom panes38 and-.40 sloping towards each other and the front andrear panes 39 and 41 .therebetween,

slanting] toward each other and the four panes meeting centrally at 42, thus giving the navigator a clear view through the port or win ow 37 up, down, front and rear.

Additional motors 43 may be provided and arranged to oscillate 180 do more or less,

so that they may be turne completely over from front to rear.. Such engines maybe .mounted ontop of the gliding wings 13 '14 or on 13', 14' as more articularly indicated in Fi 15, 16, 17' an 18. It is understood that t e same are oscillatable after the fashion shown in Figs. 13 and 14.

' The rudders 45 and stabilizers 46 are of practically the same construction, being r0.- liided with. braces 47; the vertical rud ers em s'tabi zers on horizontal. The rudders direct the course of the craft and act after the manner of sails to set up, a resolutionlof the forces of side winds, if any, and the air oscillatable on vertical axesand the stream, or air projected throughnthe air di-..-

recting tubes by themain propellers. Quick turns may be made byturnin the-forward rudders in one direction and t e aft .rudders lighter than air float 55 57. fixed thereto'by upper in the reverse direction. The same method of managing the stabilizers may be em 10 ed in ascent and descent. ,Levers 48 and exible connections 49 are after any well known construction approved by the builder.

The shells are provided with storage rooms in the hulls 50 and with passenger cabins 51, above; there being suitable hatches as at 52 to bgive access to and exit from the.passenger ca ms.

ings or guards 54 are also shown.

It is understood, that the craft may be tail and intermediate drawn from the sides of the shells, and outward above. and terminating flush with, the planes of the ends of the stabilizers; and it is understood they may be of any suitable length within the judgment of the constructor. x

The oscillatory frames, with their tubes, and propellers ticable angle to the horizon, as from horizontal to an angle of 45 degrees for the purpose of directing the course of the craft to rise from the practically at once, and then by turning to a less incline or ahori'zontal direction, can move more directly along a horizontal course as will be readily understood. 7

By turning the engine completely over, the force of the propellers may be applied to stop the forward motion of the craft.

In Figs. 16. 17 and 18. an arrangement for embodying the invention on a larger scale than in Fig. 1, is shown, there being a main and side floats 56, and lower fore and aft gliding planes 13, 14, 15', 16'. Suitable rudders, or lee controls, stabilizers, and means for ontrolling the same, are also providedas with the form shown in other views. So also with respect to the oscillatory frames, elevators-motors and propellers of the other views. and means for controlling the engine,

rudders. lee controls and stabihzers.

The fuel and lubricants may be stored in elevator planes, motor frames, motor shafts the hull and supplied to the engines by any well known means as the gas line 58, an oil line 59, and control rod indicated in Fig. 13 as passing through a hollow trunnion from an air float cabin.

In case of the larger craft shown in Figs.

16, 17 and 18 the central air float is of greater size than the auxiliary air floats and the auxil-iar v floats are on a'plane mainly below the mid horizontal axial plane of the larger air,

float and the cabins and machinery are also located below such mid plane for the provi- Hatchways 53, bridges 54 and railvand discharge the same downwardly aslant may be turned to any prac-' ground or water or a runway,

jecting beyond the floats not wise of the course,

si on of insuring stability of the craft in the inside and outside the shells and including stays 17 shown in Figs. 17 and 18, may be employed within the judgment of the constructor and that the craft may be provided with any suitable anti-friction supports as indicated by the wheels 61. p

In practical use the craft will be given its load-'of-fuel, oil,-cargo and passengers; the hatches may be closed, and the navigator.

puts into operation the requisite en ines to drive the propellers which he will adjust to an upward angle adapted to lift the craft directly from the surface upon which it rests It is understood that any suitable bracing as from the ground or from the water, with- I out any necessity of running horizontally as heretofore found to be necessary with air craft having gliding planes.

The oscillatory frames will be adjusted to cause the propeller to exhaust air from above 3 thus simultaneously diminishing the air pressure above the level of the upward sur; faces of the gliding planes and the lighterthan-air floats, and increasing the air pressure below the under surfaces of the lower gliding planes and said lighter-than-air floats. The equilibrium of the air pressures on the upper and lower'surfaces being thus destroyed, the excess upward pressure from below assists the lighter-than-air floats to cause the air craft to rise with a movement in they direction opposite to that toward which the air streams are directed by the propellers, and as altitude is reached to escape obstacles on the earth, the propellers 25, and the oscillatory planes 27a, will act upon the air through which the craft is advancing, to assist the angle of the propellers and oscillatory planes is changed to horizontal adjustment, or to adjustment for descent or ascent.

As the craft rises, the navigator may adjust the angle of the oscillatory frames and their propellers and engines to cause flight at a desired angle or parallel to a horizontal plane and may change the altitude and the angle 'of flight by operating the oscillatory controlling means.

' The. upper gliding wings 13 and 14 proonly assist in supporting the air craft in flight but also assist instabilizing the craft so that effective operation of the oscillatory plane is made practicable.

To lessen speed suddenly or to stop, the rudders and stabilizers may be turned crossand the reversible engines may be turned fore and aft to pull against each other at upward inclinations thus to allow practically vertical descent.

In Fig. 15 the segmental gear 35 extends over a suflicient arc to allow the engine to be the'upward progress of the craft until reversed and the oscillating elevator plane shown in the other views is omitted.

I claim;

1. The combination with an air craft frame and the gliding wings and lighterthan-air floats connected to said frame, of an oscillatory frame; a motor carried by the oscillatory frame and provided with a rotary.

other; an oscillatory frame mounted on the connecting frame and arranged between the floats; a motor carried by the oscillatory frame and provided with a shaft at right angles to the axis of oscillation; a propeller between the floats and fixed to said shaft; an elevator plane in fixed relation to the oscillatorv frame, and means for causing and controlling the oscillation of said oscillatory frame and for holding it stationary relative to the craft frame.

3. The combination with aerial floats, of a frame connecting the air floats to each other; an oscillatory frame mounted between the floats and on the connecting frame; anelevator plane mounted on the oscillatory frame;

a motor carried by the oscillatory frame and provided with a shaft at right angles to the axis of oscillation; a propeller fixed to said shaft; and means for causing and controlling the oscillation of said frame and for holding the same stationary relative to the craft frame.

4. The combination with air floats, of a I frame connecting the air floats to each other and spacing them apart; an oscillatory frame mounted on the connecting frame and in the space between the air floats; an elevator plane carried by the oscillatory frame; a motor carried by the oscillatory "frame and provided with a shaft at right angles to the axis of oscillation; a propeller fixed to said shaft and locatedbetween the floats; and means for causing and controlling the oscillation of said frame and for holding it stationary relative to the craft frame. 1

5. The combination with an air craft frame and float means in fixed relation to said frame to support the same; of a glider wing -fixed to said frame; an ,oscillatory'frame 1 carried bv the air craft frame; a motor carried'by the oscillatory frame and provided with a rotary shaft extending in a plane at I right angles to the axis of oscillation; a propeller located between the floats and directconnected to the propeller shaft; an elevator plane fixed tovthe oscillatory frame in parallelism with the rotaryshaft; and meaps for operating, controlling, and holding the oscillatory frame stationary relative to the air craft frame.

6. The combination with two elongate floats, of a frame comprising gliding wings and connecting said floats to each other and spacing them apart, of a motor having a rotary shaft and mounted to oscillate in a plane between and parallel to the longitudinal axes of the floats; a propeller located between the floats and fixed to the shaft; means to control the operation of the motor and means whereby the motor and shaft may be caused to oscillate in said plane and also to be held from oscillation while at a determined angle.

7. The combination with two elongate floats, of a frame comprising a glider and connecting said floatsto each other and spacing them apart, of a motor having a rotary shaft and mounted to oscillate in a plane between and parallel to the longitudinal axes of the floats; a propeller fixed to the shaft; means to control the operation of the motor; means whereby the motor and shaft may be caused to oscillate in said, plane and also to be held from oscillation ,while at a desired angle; and a tube through which air from the propeller is driven. I

8. The combination with two elongate floats, of a frame comprising aglider and connecting said floats to each other and spacing them apart, of a motor having arotary shaft and mounted to oscillate in a plane between and parallel to the longitudinal axes of the floats; a propeller fixed to the shaft; means to control the operation of the motor; means whereby the motor and shaft may be caused to oscillate in said plane and also to i be held from oscillation while at a determined shaft and mounted to oscillatein a plane between and parallel to the longitudinal axes of the floats; a propeller fixed to the shaft; means to control the operation of the motor; means whereby the motor and shaft may be caused to oscillate in said plane and also to be held from oscillation while at a desired angle; and 'aglider fixed to and oscillatable with the motor.

10. The combination with two elongate air floats of a frame and gliding wings constituting means connecting said floatsto each other and spacing them apart; a motor provided with a shaft and oscillatable between the floats in a plane'parallel to the axes of the floats; stabilizing wings at the sides of the floats; rudders carried by the frame; means to control the motor; means -.to oscilday of October,

' shafts;

late the motor and its shaft and to hold the same from oscillation; a propeller fixed to the shaft and oscillatable. in the space between the floats and between glider Wings that are above and below the propeller; means to operate the stabilizer and means to control the rudders.

11. The combination with two elongate lighter-than-air floats, of upper and lower gliding wi gs fixed to, connecting and spacing apart said floats; the upper gliding wings extending over and beyond the outer sides of the floats to stabilize the craft, and eleva tor means between the floats.

'12. The combination with aerial floats of gliding wings connecting said floats; oscil-- latory engines mounted on the wlngs and provided respectively with rotary propeller elevator planes connected to the engines to oscillate therewith and oscillatable between the floats and between upper and lower gliding wings; propellers on said shafts respectively; means to control the engines, and means to oscillate the engines and their shafts and propellers.

13. An air craft comprising a central aerial float, auxiliary aerial floats alongside the same in a horizontal plane on opposite sides of said floats and spaced therefrom; gliding wings connecting the air floats together, and propellers on said wings to drive the craft.

14. An air craft comprising a central aerial float, auxiliary aerial air floats arranged in a common horizontal plane on oppositesides of, and alongside of and of less diameter than the central float;v gliding wings connecting the floats together, and propellers on said wings to drive the craft.

15. Air craft comprising gliding wingconnected floats having cabins; and rudders having vertical axes on the wings, and means to operate the rudders. v

16. Air craft comprising lighter-than-air floats, and gliding wings connecting the same;.rudder s having vertical axes on the wings; stabilizer having horizontal axes on the floats and means to operate the rudders and stabilizers.

17 Air craft comprising lighter-than-air trolling and preventin such oscillations. 1

In testimony whereo I have hereunto set my hand at Los Anggles, California, this 17th FRANK DORSON WILLIAMS.

gliding means connecting the floats; .a tube oscillatable on such means; means inthe motor; means leading through the 

